Digital clock or the like and drive unit therefor

ABSTRACT

A digital clock having a time indicating wheel rotatably mounted to the clock frame. A drive is carried by the frame and is operatively associated with the wheel to incrementally rotate the wheel relative to the frame in a time relation for time indicating purposes, the drive having manual means for manually setting the wheel in a desired time indicating position in either a forward direction or a reverse direction of rotation thereof.

United States Patent [1 1 Marquis 1 1 DIGITAL CLOCK OR THE LIKE ANDDRIVE UNIT THEREFOR [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company,

Richmond, Va.

221 Filed: Jan.30, 1974 2| Appl. No.:437,826

Edgar E. Marquis, Newtown, Conn.

[52] U.S. Cl. 58/125 C; 58/126 E; 58/855 [51] Int. Cl. G04B 19/02 [58]Field of Search 58/125 C, 126 E, 85.5,

58/125 R, 15, 7; 235/132 R, 117 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,576,119 11/1951 Holzner 58/125 C X 2,762,190 9/1956 Holzner2,959,914 11/1960 Harada .1 58/855 X [451 Sept. 9, 1975 3,574,995 4/1971Turner 58/125 C 3,590,571 7/1971 Niznik 58/125 C 3,721,086 3/1973 Flumm58/125 3,807,167 4/1974 Chappatte 58/125 C Primary Examiner-Joseph W.Hartary Assistant ExaminerU. Weldon Attorney, Agent, or FirmCandor,Candor & Tassone [57] ABSTRACT A digital clock having a time indicatingwheel rotatably mounted to the clock frame. A drive is carried by theframe and is operatively associated with the wheel to incrementallyrotate the wheel relative to the frame in a time relation for timeindicating purposes, the drive having manual means for manually settingthe wheel in a desired time indicating position in either a forwarddirection or a reverse direction of rotation thereof.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 919;;

SHEET 2 []F 2 DIGITAL CLOCK OR THE LIKE AND DRIVE UNIT THEREFOR Thisinvention relates to an improved digital clock or the like as well as toimproved drive means for such clock or the like.

It is well known from the US. patent to Flumm, No. 3,721,086, that adigital clock or the like can be provided wherein the minute indicatingwheel is rotatably mounted on a drive shaft of the clock timer motor andis incrementally driven thereby by a torsion spring having one endinterconnected to the indicating wheel and the other end operativelyinterconnected to the drive shaft through a drive means, suchincrementally driven minute wheel itself subsequently causingincremental drive of a tens of minute wheel and an hour wheel alsorotatably mounted on the drive Shaft.

However, it has been found according to the teachings of this inventionthat such prior drive means does not permit a resetting of the timeindicating wheel means thereof in a reverse rotational direction thereofas the same only permits a resetting of the time indication thereof in aforward rotational direction of the indicating wheel means whereby arelatively long time may be required to reset the clock structure to thedesired time.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide improved drivemeans for such a digital clock or the like which drive means readilypermits the user to set the time indication thereof by either moving thetime indicating means in a forward direction or in a reverse direction,as desired.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention provides a digital clockhaving a time indicating wheel means rotatably mounted to the framemeans of the clock. Drive means are carried by the frame means and areoperatively associated with the wheel means to incrementally rotate thewheel means relative to the frame means in a timed relation for timeindicating purposes, the drive means having manual means for manuallysetting the wheel means in a desired time indicating position thereof ineither a forward direction or in a reverse direction, as desired.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improveddigital clock or the like having one or more of the novel features setforth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved drive unit forsuch a digital clock or the like, the improved drive unit of thisinvention having one or more of the novel features set forth above orhereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from areading of this description, which proceeds with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. I is a fragmentary front view of the improved digital clock of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the digital clock ofFIG. 1 and is taken on line 2-2 thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of the various partsfor driving the minute indicating wheel of the clock structure of FIG.2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line4-4 of FIG. 2 and illustrates the drive means for the minute indicatingwheel.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and illustrates the drive structurewith certain parts removed.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 and illustrates the incrementaladvancement of the minute indicating wheel.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. 5.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter describedand illustrated as being particularly adapted to provide improved drivemeans for a digital clock, it is to be understood that the variousfeatures of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combinationthereof to provide drive means for other types of apparatus, such as adigital timer or the like, as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentillustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized toillustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the improved digital clock of thisinvention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 andcomprises a frame means 11 carrying a front cover 12 having a pluralityof windows 13 and 14 provided therein to respectively expose portions oftime indicating wheel means 15, 16 and 17 for time indicating purposes.

The time indicating wheels l5, l6 and 17 are rotatably mounted on ashaft 18 rotatably carried by the frame means 11 and beinginterconnected through suitable gearing and clutch means 19 to anelectric timer motor 20 that is adapted to continuously rotate the shaft18 in a counter-clockwise direction in FIG. 4 as long as the timer motor20 is being continuously energized.

As previously stated, one feature of this invention is to provide meansfor resetting a time indication of the time indicating wheels l5, l6 andI7 in either a forward or reverse rotational direction thereof becausethe drive means for the indicating wheels of the aforementioned US.patent to Flumm only permitted a resetting thereof in a forwardrotational direction and not in a reverse rotational direction thereof.

Accordingly, the minute indicating wheel means 17 of this invention asillustrated in FIGS. 3-7 has a hub portion 21 for being rotatablymounted on the .i drive shaft 18 and carries two pairs of outwardlydirected tangs 22 which respectively define slots 23 therebetween forreceiving a slide member 24 which is adapted to slide back and forth inthe slots 23 upon the movement of a driving dog 25 being rotatablymounted on the shaft 18 through an opening 26 in the dog 25 and having atooth 27 adapted to be received in a rectangular notch 28 of the slidemember 24 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

A coiled torsion spring 29 has one end 30 secured to the minuteindicating wheel 17 by being received in an opening 31 formed therein.The other end 32 of the torsion spring 29 is interconnected to thedriving dog 25 by being received in a notch 33 formed therein, thetorsion spring 29 having a bias that always tends to rotate the timeindicating wheel 17 in a counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 3-6 as willbe apparent hereinafter.

A gear-like member 34 is also rotatably mounted on the shaft 18 by anopening 35 formed in the member 34 and has a plurality of peripheralteeth 36 disposed about the outer periphery thereof and against which anoutwardly directed tang 37 of the slide member 24 operates as will beapparent hereinafter.

The gear-like member 34 also has a plurality of cutouts 38 formedtherethrough to define a plurality of ratchet teeth 39 for a purposehereinafter described.

A ratchet spring member 40 of this invention is adapted to be rotatablymounted on the shaft 18 by receiving the shaft 18 through an opening 41thereof, the spring member 40 having an outwardly directed tang 42adapted to be captured between a pair of outwardly bent tangs 43 of theframe means 11 to prevent rotational movement of the spring 40 as theshaft 18 rotates. The spring 40 also has an outwardly directed angularlybent spring finger 44 for ratcheting against the teeth 39 of thegear-like member 34 for permitting the gear-like member 34 to be rotatedin a clockwise direction in FIG. 4 for a purpose hereinafter describedbut preventing counterclockwise rotation of the member 34 in FIG. 4 fora purpose hereinafter described, because of the angle of the finger 44acting against the ratchet teeth 39 of the member 34 as best illustratedin FIG. 7.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the shaft 18 passes completely through the hub21 of the minute indicating wheel 17 and can be operativelyinterconnected to a manual resetting member 45 either located at theside of the clock structure as illustrated in HO. 2 or, through suitablegear trains or the like, the member 45 can project out of the front 12of the clock 10, as desired, and still be operatively interconnected tothe shaft 18 for manually rotating the same.

The operation of the digital clock 10 of this invention will now bedescribed.

As previously stated, the aforementioned U.S. patent to Flumm disclosesand claims the digital clock structure wherein the gear member 34 isheld stationary by the frame means 11 without the use of the ratchetspring 40 of this invention whereby the details of the structure andoperation of the clock structure 10 of this invention can be readilyobtained by reference to the aforementioned U.S. patent to Flumm.

However, in order to understand the features of this invention,sufficient details of the operation of the clock structure 10 will nowbe described.

As the shaft 18 is continuously rotating in a counterclockwise directionin FIGS. 35 by the timer motor 20, the driving dog rotates therewith ina counter clockwise direction and as the tooth 27 thereof moves in acounterclockwise direction, the same carries the slide member 24therewith so that the tang 37 of the slide member 24 will movedownwardly across a straight portion 36' of a particular tooth 36A onthe gear member 34 as illustrated in FIG. 6 until the tang 37 movesbeyond the apex 36" of the tooth 36A as illustrated in full lines in H0.6 whereby the force of the torsion spring 29 rapidly advances the wheel17 in a counterclockwise direction to the dotted line position of F IG.6. Thus, it can be seen that the slide tang 37 has now moved backwardlyby the slowly advancing dog 25 and engages against the side surface 36'of the next adjacent tooth 368 until the drive dog 25 again slides themember 24 to clear the tooth 36B in the manner previously described.

Thus, as the shaft 18 continuously rotates in a counterclockwisedirection, the driving dog 25 causes incremental movement of the minuteindicating wheel 17 in a counterclockwise direction and through suitabledrive means (not shown), the incremental movement of the drive wheel 17at appropriate times causes incremental movement of the wheel 16 and,thus, incremental movement of the wheel 16 eventually causes incrementalmovement of the hour wheel 15 in the manner fully set forth in theaforementioned U.S. patent to Flumm whereby the clock 10 continuouslyindicates the correct time of day.

However, should it be desired to reset the time indication of the clock10 during the operation thereof so as to provide the correct time, aperson can grasp the selector 45 and by rotating the same in acounterclockwise direction in FIGS. 3-5 rotate the shaft 18 at a fasterrate in a counterclockwise direction than the timer motor 20 to advancethe indicating wheels l7, l6 and 15 in a forward direction to thedesired time indication thereof, such feature being provided by suitableclutch means in the gear means 19 and such resetting in the forwardrotational direction being provided in the aforementioned U.S. patent toFlumm because the gear-like member 34 is still held stationary fromcounterclockwise rotation by the tang 4-4 of the ratchet spring 40acting against a ratchet tooth 39 of the member 34.

However, if it is desired to reset the time indication of the clock 10in a reverse rotational direction, the member 45 can be rotated in aclockwise direction in FIGS. 3-6 and such movement of the shaft 18 ispermitted because the gear-like member 34 will rotate in a clockwisedirection in unison with the shaft 18 as the same will merely have theteeth 39 thereof ratchet against the tang 44 of the spring 40 duringsuch clockwise movement of the shaft 18 whereby the wheel 17 willlikewise be moved in a clockwise direction because the dog 25 will bedriven in a clockwise direction and will cause the tang 37 of the slidemember 24 to bear against a tooth 36 of the gear member 34 to carry thesame therewith. Thus the clockwise rotating dog 25, through the slidemember 24, thereby rotates the time indicating wheel 17 in unisontherewith. Thus, through the drive of the wheel member 17 to the wheelmembers l6 and 15, the wheel members l7, l6 and 15 can be reset in areverse rotational direction upon clockwise rotation of the shaft 18 bythe manual means 45 in the manner previously described.

Therefore, it can be seen that the digital clock 10 of this inventionprovides means for setting the same in a forward direction or in areverse direction thereof by the ratchet spring 40 holding the gear-likemember 34 stationary relative to the frame means 11 during forwardsetting of the clock 10 by the timer motor 20. However, the ratchetspring 40 of this invention permits the gear-like member 34 to berotated in a reverse direction relative to the frame means to causereverse rotation of the time indicating wheels l7, l6 and 15 forresetting the clock 10 in a reverse direction thereof.

Accordingly, this invention not only provides an improved digital clockor the like, but also this invention provides an improved drive unit forsuch a digital clock or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been described andillustrated as required by the Patent Statute, it is to be understoodthat other forms can be utilized and stillcome within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A digital clock comprising a frame means, a time indicating wheelmeans rotatably mounted to said frame means, drive means carried by saidframe means and being operatively associated with said wheel means toincrementally rotate said wheel means relative to said frame means in atime relation for time indicating purposes and for time settingpurposes, said drive means having manual means for manually setting saiddrive means and thus said wheel means in a desired time indicatingposition in either a forward direction or in a reverse direction, saiddrive means including a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means,said wheel means being rotatably disposed on said shaft, said drivemeans including a timer motor carried by said frame means and beingoperatively associated with said shaft to continuously drive said shaftin one rotational direction for time producing function, said manualmeans being operatively associated with said shaft to rotate said shaftin either said one rotational direction or in the opposite rotationaldirection, said drive means including a torsion spring operativelyinterconnected to said shaft and drivingly interconnected to said wheelmeans by latch means operatively associated with said shaft and saidwheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said wheelmeans relative to said frame means whereby said wheel means makes anincremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latchmeans unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion spring to movesaid wheel means relative to said shaft, said torsion spring tend torotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft rotates insaid one direction, said latch means including a gearlike member, and aratchet spring carried by said frame means and being operativelyassociated with said gearlike member to cause said gear-like member tobe held stationary relative to said frame means as said shaft is rotatedin said one direction and to cause said gear-like member to rotate withsaid shaft as said shaft is rotated in said opposite direction.

2. A digital clock as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gear-like memberhas a plurality of teeth about its outer periphery, a slide membermovably carried by said wheel means and having a tang seriallyengageable with said teeth, and a drive member operativelyinterconnected to said shaft to rotate in unison therewith and beingoperatively interconnected to said slide member to cause the same toslide relative to said wheel means and its tang to slide relative to arespective tooth of said gear-like member to cause said wheel means tobe latched from movement relative to said frame means until said tangclears that respective tooth to unlatch said wheel means and have saidtorsion spring rotate said wheel means one increment in said onedirection until said tang engages the next adjacent tooth on saidgear-like member that latches said wheel means from movement until thattooth is cleared by said tang in the above manner.

3. A digital clock as set forth in claim 2 wherein said gear-like memberhas ratchet teeth separate from said peripheral teeth thereof, saidratchet spring having a resilient tang cooperable with said ratchetteeth.

4. A digital clock as set forth in claim 3 wherein said ratchet springis rotatably mounted on said shaft, said ratchet spring having a partthereof held stationary by said frame means whereby said shaft isadapted to rotate relative to said ratchet spring.

5. A drive unit for a digital clock comprising a frame means, a timeindicating wheel means rotatably mounted to said frame means, drivemeans carried by said frame means and being operatively associated withsaid wheel means to incrementally rotate said wheel means relative toframe means in a time relation for time indicating purposes and for timesetting purposes, said drive means having manual means for manuallysetting said drive means and thus said whee] means in a desired timeindicating position in either a forward direction or in a reversedirection, said drive means including a shaft rotatably carried by saidframe means, said wheel means being rotatably disposed on said shaft,said drive means including a timer motor carried by said frame means andbeing operatively associated with said shaft to continuously drive saidshaft in one rotational direction for time producing function, saidmanual means being operatively associated with said shaft to rotate saidshaft in either said one rotational direction or in the oppositerotational direction, said drive means including a torsion springoperatively interconnected to said shaft and drivingly interconnected tosaid wheel means by latch means operatively associated with said shaftand said wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching ofsaid wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said wheel meansmakes an incremental movement relative to said frame means each timesaid latch means unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion springto move said wheel means relative to said shaft, said torsion springtend to rotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaftrotates in said one direction, said latch means including a gear-likemember, and a ratchet spring carried by said frame means and beingoperatively associated with said gear-like member to cause saidgear-like member to be held stationary relative to said frame means assaid shaft is rotated in said one direction and to cause said gear-likemember to rotate with said shaft as said shaft is rotated in saidopposite direction.

6. A drive unit as set forth in claim 5 wherein said gear-like memberhas a plurality of teeth about its outer periphery, a slide membermovably carried by said wheel means and having a tang seriallyengageable with said teeth, and a drive member operativelyinterconnected to said shaft to rotate in unison therewith and beingoperatively interconnected to said slide member to cause the same toslide relative to said wheel means and its tang to slide relative to arespective tooth of said gear-like member to cause said wheel means tobe latched from movement relative to said frame means until said tangclears that respective tooth to unlatch said wheel means and have saidtorsion spring rotate said wheel means one increment in said onedirection until said tang engages the next adjacent tooth on saidgear-like member that latches said wheel means from movement until thattooth is cleared by said tang in the above manner.

7. A drive unit as set forth in claim 6 wherein said gear-like memberhas ratchet teeth separate from said peripheral teeth thereof, saidratchet spring having a resilient tang cooperable with said ratchetteeth.

8. A drive unit as set forth in claim 7 wherein said ratchet spring isrotatably mounted on said shaft, said ratchet spring having a partthereof held stationary by said frame means whereby said shaft isadapted to rotate relative to said ratchet spring.

1. A digital clock comprising a frame means, a time indicating wheelmeans rotatably mounted to said frame means, drive means carried by saidframe means and being operatively associated with said wheel means toincrementally rotate said wheel means relative to said frame means in atime relation for time indicating purposes and for time settingpurposes, said drive means having manual means for manually setting saiddrive means and thus said wheel means in a desired time indicatingposition in either a forward direction or in a reverse direction, saiddrive means including a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means,said wheel means being rotatably disposed on said shaft, said drivemeans including a timer motor carried by said frame means and beingoperatively associated with said shaft to continuously drive said shaftin one rotational direction for time producing function, said manualmeans being operatively associated with said shaft to rotate said shaftin either said one rotational direction or in the opposite rotationaldirection, said drive means including a torsion spring operativelyinterconnected to said shaft and drivingly interconnected to said wheelmeans by latch means operatively associated with said shaft and saidwheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching of said wheelmeans relative to said frame means whereby said wheel means makes anincremental movement relative to said frame means each time said latchmeans unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion spring to movesaid wheel means relative to said sHaft, said torsion spring tend torotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaft rotates insaid one direction, said latch means including a gear-like member, and aratchet spring carried by said frame means and being operativelyassociated with said gear-like member to cause said gear-like member tobe held stationary relative to said frame means as said shaft is rotatedin said one direction and to cause said gearlike member to rotate withsaid shaft as said shaft is rotated in said opposite direction.
 2. Adigital clock as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gear-like member hasa plurality of teeth about its outer periphery, a slide member movablycarried by said wheel means and having a tang serially engageable withsaid teeth, and a drive member operatively interconnected to said shaftto rotate in unison therewith and being operatively interconnected tosaid slide member to cause the same to slide relative to said wheelmeans and its tang to slide relative to a respective tooth of saidgear-like member to cause said wheel means to be latched from movementrelative to said frame means until said tang clears that respectivetooth to unlatch said wheel means and have said torsion spring rotatesaid wheel means one increment in said one direction until said tangengages the next adjacent tooth on said gear-like member that latchessaid wheel means from movement until that tooth is cleared by said tangin the above manner.
 3. A digital clock as set forth in claim 2 whereinsaid gear-like member has ratchet teeth separate from said peripheralteeth thereof, said ratchet spring having a resilient tang cooperablewith said ratchet teeth.
 4. A digital clock as set forth in claim 3wherein said ratchet spring is rotatably mounted on said shaft, saidratchet spring having a part thereof held stationary by said frame meanswhereby said shaft is adapted to rotate relative to said ratchet spring.5. A drive unit for a digital clock comprising a frame means, a timeindicating wheel means rotatably mounted to said frame means, drivemeans carried by said frame means and being operatively associated withsaid wheel means to incrementally rotate said wheel means relative toframe means in a time relation for time indicating purposes and for timesetting purposes, said drive means having manual means for manuallysetting said drive means and thus said wheel means in a desired timeindicating position in either a forward direction or in a reversedirection, said drive means including a shaft rotatably carried by saidframe means, said wheel means being rotatably disposed on said shaft,said drive means including a timer motor carried by said frame means andbeing operatively associated with said shaft to continuously drive saidshaft in one rotational direction for time producing function, saidmanual means being operatively associated with said shaft to rotate saidshaft in either said one rotational direction or in the oppositerotational direction, said drive means including a torsion springoperatively interconnected to said shaft and drivingly interconnected tosaid wheel means by latch means operatively associated with said shaftand said wheel means to cause incremental latching and unlatching ofsaid wheel means relative to said frame means whereby said wheel meansmakes an incremental movement relative to said frame means each timesaid latch means unlatches said wheel means to cause said torsion springto move said wheel means relative to said shaft, said torsion springtend to rotate said wheel means in said one direction as said shaftrotates in said one direction, said latch means including a gear-likemember, and a ratchet spring carried by said frame means and beingoperatively associated with said gear-like member to cause saidgear-like member to be held stationary relative to said frame means assaid shaft is rotated in said one direction and to cause said gear-likemember to rotate with said shaft as said shaft is rotated in saidopposite direction.
 6. A drive unit as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidgear-like member has a plurality of teeth about its outer periphery, aslide member movably carried by said wheel means and having a tangserially engageable with said teeth, and a drive member operativelyinterconnected to said shaft to rotate in unison therewith and beingoperatively interconnected to said slide member to cause the same toslide relative to said wheel means and its tang to slide relative to arespective tooth of said gear-like member to cause said wheel means tobe latched from movement relative to said frame means until said tangclears that respective tooth to unlatch said wheel means and have saidtorsion spring rotate said wheel means one increment in said onedirection until said tang engages the next adjacent tooth on saidgear-like member that latches said wheel means from movement until thattooth is cleared by said tang in the above manner.
 7. A drive unit asset forth in claim 6 wherein said gear-like member has ratchet teethseparate from said peripheral teeth thereof, said ratchet spring havinga resilient tang cooperable with said ratchet teeth.
 8. A drive unit asset forth in claim 7 wherein said ratchet spring is rotatably mounted onsaid shaft, said ratchet spring having a part thereof held stationary bysaid frame means whereby said shaft is adapted to rotate relative tosaid ratchet spring.